Personal Business
by Ronnie K
Summary: Can Superman and Wonder Woman work things out after Lois passes away? Or will guilt keep them apart?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I made all this up. hahaha. Yep, made it all up, except for DC's characters. While not a continuation for my other story The Wait, this does fit within that story. It expands on why Superman had to leave earth for awhile. This story will stand on it's own, however.

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He wanted to sort through her things at super speed, since it would have ended the ordeal quicker. But, for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do it. He felt that maybe it would have been less...personal.

After five years, he should be able to deal with his loss. He should be able to move on. But he found that he couldn't. In a way, she was still there with him. To move on would make him feel as if he was cheating on her. And that was something he promised himself long ago that he would never do.

It was early afternoon and he was almost done. Her clothes were boxed to send to the Salvation Army. If she knew what he was doing with her clothes, she would surely throw a fit. At first, anyway. "Salvation Army? Clark, you've got to be kidding. I spent weeks looking for that green outfit and it was the last one on the rack. How can you just-" And then she would stop as if to listen to her own words, grinning sheepishly as she realized how she sounded. Then she would help him pack the boxes.

Seeing that scene in his mind, he sighed as he continued to pack the final box.

Looking around the room, _their room,_ he corrected himself, he could see that he was almost done. Her toiletries from the bathroom were in a box in the corner. They would be thrown away. The clothes sat in seven boxes piled neatly along the far wall. He would take them out tomorrow.

All that was left was her desk. He purposely left that for last. Too many memories. After she stopped working, she just left the desk as it was. At odd times, Clark would catch her sitting there looking at some old picture of theirs, or sometimes a letter she was writing. She had been trying her hand at poetry just before she passed away.

Noticing him in the room, she would calmly put the item back in a drawer. She would smile as she turned back to him, often brushing back a tear as she did so. He would ask what was wrong, but she would never tell. She would ask him to merely hold her for awhile. And so he did.

The desk was always cluttered. Her computer sat in the center, surrounded by framed snapshots (mostly of the two of them in different places around the world), papers, pens and pencils, among other odd things. He had straightened it out for her once, thinking she might want to actually be able to find something for a change. Was she grateful for the help? No. Quite the opposite, in fact. "How am I supposed to find anything now? You've gone and messed up my whole system." He'd tried to explain, but all he got was rolled eyes and attitude. She forgave him, eventually. It was a mistake he never made again.

He sat down at the edge of the bed and stared at the desk. He couldn't quite get the nerve up to start on it. After all the things he'd faced; super-powered enemies, world-wide catastrophes, demons and gods, it was almost funny that he was afraid of a desk. A large desk, to be sure, but still a desk. It was almost funny. He almost smiled.

For the tenth time he wondered why he was doing this. Lord knew he didn't want to. It was Diana who'd suggested it weeks ago. Therapy, as she had called it. He had told her that he would do it, but something else always happened to come up. Every week, Diana would ask if he had done it knowing full well that he hadn't. Each excuse he gave was worse than the previous one. It got to the point where it was an embarrassing to even talk to her about it. Yesterday, she pulled him into one of the JLA's unused conference rooms to discuss it.

"Kal, have you taken care of Lois' personal things?"

"No, Diana, I haven't. I had some laundry to do and..." He stared down at his hands as he trailed off.

Diana almost laughed. The most powerful man on the planet, sitting here looking like a little boy caught in an untruth.

"You need to stop putting this off. I mean it." She leaned over, taking his strong chin in her hands and lifted his head to look him in the eyes. Her eyes were compassionate, yet unwavering. "Listen to me, Kal-El. Everyone here is worrying about you. Your moods swing from maudlin to angry without warning. Your own teammates are afraid to speak to you most of the time. It's gotten to the point where it's starting to affect morale in the League."

At his horrified look, she took his hand in both of hers. "I know this is hard, Kal, but you have to do it. You haven't allowed yourself to have closure and it's tearing you apart." She paused, then continued in a more gentle tone. "I know you miss her-" She held up her hand as he tried to make an angry objection. "You know you aren't the only person to lose a loved one, but there comes a time to make peace with yourself over it. Putting her belongings away will help you to do that." She hesitated for just a moment before adding, "Please, Kal. I'm pleading with you to do this. For yourself, for your teammates", and softly "for me?".

That last part woke him out of his shock. Diana took pride in asking nothing from anyone. If she was willing to put away that pride for him... Now he was _really_ embarrassed. He knew then that he could not delay any longer.

He lifted the strong hands that had been holding his and lightly kissed the back of each one. "I'm sorry, Diana. I've been wallowing in self-pity and not thinking about anyone else. Thank you for telling me. I will take care of her things tomorrow. I promise." He kissed one hand again. "Thank you for being my friend." A look crossed her face that Superman couldn't quite identify. He shook off the thought and stood up with a resolve that had been missing for a long time.

"I need to call a League meeting."

Looking at the clock above his head, Wonder Woman informed him, "Well, that shouldn't be a problem. The weekly meeting has just started down the hall. We're already late."

He smiled. It wasn't the old smile, but it was close. Diana didn't realize until recently how much she'd missed it. "Let's go then."

Superman strode into the conference room with Diana right behind him. As he stopped to survey the room, she slipped around him and took her chair. There were a lot of empty seats. The League wasn't at full staff lately. He wondered briefly why he hadn't noticed before.

The only attendees beside Diana and himself were Batman, Flash, J'onn and Hawkman. Looking at them watch him, he could see a very real wariness in each of them. He could see what Diana meant.

"I'll keep this brief. First off, I'd like to apologize for my attitude lately. As it has been pointed out to me very recently," he glanced at Diana, "I've been difficult to deal with." For that, again, I am truly sorry." He walked behind his own chair and faced them again. "For this reason, I have decided to take a little vacation after disposing of some pressing matters at home. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I won't return until I have resolved these personal issues. I'll make arrangements for Metropolis to be patrolled before I go. Thank you for your patience, and I hope to see you again soon."

With that, he left the room. Diana surveyed the room quickly. As she suspected, they were all a bit relieved. Whether that was because Superman had recognized his problem and was going to deal with it, or just that he was leaving, Diana wasn't sure. She hurried into the hall after him.

"Kal, wait." He stopped at the end of the corridor and waited for her to catch up. "What did you mean you're taking a vacation? Where are you going? How long will you be gone? I'll need to know because...because we want to know when we can expect you back."

He was taken aback for a moment when he realized she was biting her lip. She seemed...anxious. He had seen Diana display a wide range of emotions from anger in battle to a witty sense of humor, but he had never seen her _anxious_ before. He looked into her eyes and tried to explain, but he couldn't speak just then. Without thinking about it, he took up her hand and began walking down the corridor. Surprisingly, she didn't argue about having her hand held nor about him taking her down the hall for a walk.

"Like I said, I need time to think things out. About Lois, about me, about...well, about other things too. The best way to do that would to go off-planet for a while. I don't know where just yet, but somewhere I can think without distractions." He glanced at her sideways for a moment. "Think you can handle things without me for awhile? _I don't want to_, she thought suddenly. _ I don't want you to go_.

She forced a smile. "We'll manage, I think. When will you be leaving?"

They both stopped as they entered the main exit/entry port of the station. "In a couple days. I have a chore that I promised a friend I would take care of", he winked. "Then I'll need to talk to Kara about seeing to Metropolis in my absence."

Facing each other and somehow holding both of each other's hands, Diana reached up and kissed him on the cheek and whispered into his ear "And don't forget to come back, Kal.". He backed up and reluctantly let go of her hands.

"I won't, Diana."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Diana smiled as she watched him leave the port and fly out into space. Superman always kept his promises.

The empty boxes in front of the desk taunted him until he finally got up. The desk would stay, he decided, along with the pictures and the more personal items. He would just box it all up and keep the box in the closet. He'd already gone through the computer and it's files. There wasn't much in there. All old documents. Nothing personal. He had erased the files yesterday. The computer and printer would be donated to the elementary school downtown. The only thing left were the three drawers.

He was surprised to find that they were empty, except for a letter in the center one. The envelope merely said "To Clark".

Sitting back on the bed again, he opened the envelope.

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

A Final Gift

Clark sat on the bed with the unopened letter in his hand. Staring at it. From Lois, of course.

For some reason--. no, make that for some _un_reason, he didn't want to open it, yet at the same time he wanted desperately to read it.

"Another goodbye", he thought. "I don't know if I can stand another goodbye".

The funeral had been difficult enough, but it was an ending.

He had been hoping for a small service with just close friends. What actually happened was something else.

Lois Lane hadn't been a regular reporter in years, yet she was still remembered. Politicians and police, firemen and what seemed to be every newsperson in town, showed up. Clark just hadn't thought about how big the story of his wife's passing would be. But then he was wrapped up in his own grief. Many came just to get face time, of course, but most of them came to pay their respects to someone important to them. Someone who, through her reporting, had helped so many of them. It was her gift to the city, her writing. A gift of truth, when lies were easier to come by.

That was when it hit Clark that not only had he loved her, but the whole city did. Even after all these years out of the spotlight. They remembered, and they would always remember. The idea brought some comfort. It lightened his burden just a little.

And now, years later, he found one last gift from her. To Clark. He opened the envelop and smoothed the creases from the pages. Surprisingly, it wasn't typed, but written out in longhand. Other than a note on the fridge every so often, he never saw anything by her that wasn't typed on a computer and printed out.

_Dearest Clark,_

_If you are reading this, I must be gone. I know you, Smallville. You wouldn't even think of going through my stuff if I was still around. I wonder how long it took you to find this? A week? A year? I wish I could know._

_First, I need you to know how much you've meant to me in our years together. You've saved my life countless times from all kinds dangers. Thugs, aliens, accidents and my own missteps. You know all that, of course, but what you don't know is that there was another time you saved my life and didn't even realize it. It was that day in church when you said "I do". _

_I think that's when my life really got started. Before I met you, I had the career and the fame but I didn't have a _life_. Not a real one, anyway. Not one that meant much. At the time, I was too busy to notice. _

_After we married I could look back and actually see how little that life had meant. No, it wasn't because I found _a man_ (or superman, in this case), but because I found_ the man_. The man to share everything with. With you, everything was more real, more important. It took me a while to understand, but I finally figured out why. _

_Before I was with you, I did a great job of reporting. I reported on other people's lives. Their achievements and their failings. But it never affected me. I was apart from that. I was a neutral observer in the stories and the people around me. _

_In my own way, I fought for truth and justice too, but those were only concepts to me. It was for the sake of truth and justice and not what that meant for real people. Truth merely meant exposing lies and justice was what was supposed to happen to the bad guys. It had nothing to do with making people happier or safer or making the world a better place. _

_But you changed that for me. When I first met you, I began to see, a little. When we began our lives together, though, I suddenly felt I was a part of everything. Stories had meaning to me. People had meaning to me. The whole city had meaning for me. For the first time it felt as if it truly was _my _city. Truth and justice were concretes necessary to help people and not just an end in themselves. _

_You opened my eyes, farmboy, and I will always be grateful for that. _

_And all that, Clark, was just a fringe benefit next to what you really meant to me. You were my partner, lover, husband, friend. I've had a wonderful life with you, Clark Kent. You were the love of my life even though it took me so long to realize it. I love you with everything that I am and everything I could possibly be. And I know you feel the same about me, and maybe that's the most amazing thing of all._

_All the love songs and poems can't even begin to describe how I feel about you. After all these years I find myself amazed that I get the same thrill holding your hand that I did the very first time. Every touch, every kiss stirs me the same way as the first ones did._

_You've always put me first, as I have tried my best to put you first. And in that spirit (yes, that pun was intentional), I want to leave you with a final gift. _

_I know how you're feeling now, Clark. There were times when I was sure you would never be able to come back to me. Nothing was real and nothing was very important anymore. It wasn't only loneliness, it was desolation and despair. As if my soul had been ripped out of my body._

_I think you are feeling a little like that right now, Clark._

"I do", he whispered. A tear fell to the pages before he realized he was crying. Gently placing the unfinished letter next to him, Superman, the Man of Tomorrow wept for what he had lost yesterday.

It was many minutes later before he could bring himself to dry his eyes and continue reading.

_I am gone now, Clark. While the selfish part of me is glad that you still love me, that part that loves you wants you to be happy again. Grief is just a stage, darling, and isn't meant to last forever. You have always stood for life and all the good things that go with it. It's time for you to start living again. Not only for you, but for all those who are still there to love and be loved by you. Life is too short, even for you, to waste it. Pining away for me is romantic...in a story. This isn't a story, sweetheart. _

_I want you to do me a favor, Clark. I want you to go and talk to Diana. When I thought you were dead, I had Ma and Pa to lean on and spill out my heart and grief to. Diana can be that pillar for you. I know she wants to be. Knowing you, you've probably distanced yourself from everyone, including her. (Even when I'm not alive I can read you like a book, Smallville.)_

_I never knew Diana well, but I can say for sure that your distancing yourself from her has hurt her. I also know that she would never show it, stubborn Amazon that she is. You are her best friend. Right now she is your best friend too. Best friends are always there for each other, just like you were always there for me. Let her be there for you. _

_I know that when you were away from home that you leaned on each other sometimes. No, I know that you didn't cheat on me. I'm not stupid, you know. Yes, she's gorgeous and sexy and... Anyway, the point is, none of that was what was important. What really mattered was your heart, and that belonged to me. It took me a long time to understand that. _

_I had your whole heart. Now all I need is just a small part of it. If you let me keep your whole heart now that I'm gone, you will never be happy again. I want to inspire you to do even more great things, not be an anchor tied to your heart. Keep me tucked into the corner of your soul, but it's time for you to move on. _

_That is my last request of you, Clark, as well as a final gift to you. The request you understand, but the gift you will only understand in your own time. This is as it should be. This is how I wish it._

_No matter what the afterlife brings for me, remember that I will always keep you in my thoughts. You will always have my love and you will always be a part of me. Think about what I have said and you will understand, even if you don't right now. When you understand, go talk to Diana. She can help you._

_Know that I love you with all my heart and body and soul, my dearest Clark. If you remember nothing else, remember that._

_Love,_

_Lois Lane-Kent_

_P.S. Remember when I threw a fit because you cleaned my desk? Well, I wasn't really mad. I had just come up with the idea of writing this letter and I needed to make sure you wouldn't be nosing around one day and find it. Gotcha again, Smallville._

_Last thing. Please contact our lawyer, Henry. Tell him you've read the letter. Don't ask, just do it._

Carefully, gently, Clark put the letter back into the enevelope and returned it to the desk drawer. Thinking would come later. All he could do now was lay back on their bed and stare at the plain white ceiling, blurred by the tears running unchecked from his eyes. He would have to call Henry later.

As Diana collected her mail, she noticed a Fed-Ex package from Henry Iverson, Attorney at Law. Curious, she opened it at her kitchen table.

Even more curiously, the only thing in it was a letter-sized envelope.. The return address was the Kent residence. The handwriting, however, wasn't Kal's. In large lettering, it merely said "To Diana".

To be continued?


	3. Chapter 3

Diana left the kitchen for the more comfortable sofa, still staring at the unopened letter.

Why? Why write a letter? To get the last word in on their little feud, or to try to make amends? She didn't know whether to steel herself or to get her hopes up. Diana was afraid to open it. That didn't make any sense, but there it was. The questions were just excuses not to open it. Still, she hesitated.

Diana and Lois had been at odds for years, and still Diana didn't understand why. Well, she felt that she understood Lois' side of it but not her own.

Lois was simply insecure in her relationship with Kal, that's all. Diana could not comprehend this. Kal is one of the most faithful and honorable people she had ever met. Lois never had to worry. But she did. And it all centered on Diana. This was yet another mystery. She and Kal were friends. Best friends. Teammates on occasion. But nothing more. Never. Yet Lois could not bring herself to see this. Could not, or would not.

Her own part was even more perplexing. Diana couldn't deny a certain hostility towards Lois. It could be that Lois' resentment towards her was the reason, but she didn't think so. At least, that wasn't all of it. That hostility was heightened when she saw Kal and Lois together. Maybe it was because of the smirk Lois gave her as she tightened an arm around him. It was at those times that she wanted to slap the smirk right off of that self-satisfied bitch.

Diana's grip on the envelope tightened as she winced. 'self-satisfied bitch'? Where did that come from? That wasn't a worthy thought. It was undignified and…crass!

With a start, it dawned on her that this wasn't a new feeling towards Lois, but that she was merely recognizing it for the first time. She wasn't sure whether she should be horrified by this revelation or relieved that it was finally in the open. Did she really see Lois that way? That wasn't a fair assessment, and yet, when the three of them were in the same room it was an _accurate_ assessment.

To be fair, Lois Lane had also been an accomplished reporter. A _female_ reporter in a line of work dominated by men. She was a pioneer in her field. She had helped uncover and expose countless evils in a world that sometimes forgot what 'evil' was. She was also the woman that Kal loved, and that in itself is saying a lot. She had the respect of the English speaking world, including Diana. It was just when it came down to Lois and herself, Lois could still be a…

"Self-satisfied bitch". It shocked her how good it felt to say that out loud.

Diana understood that she had a role to play in the world of men and that she had ideals to promote and uphold. Superhero, metahuman, Wonder Woman—whatever the world called her, she was still a woman first, wasn't she? If she only allowed herself lofty emotions, wouldn't she be lying to everyone, including herself? Was she only allowed righteous anger or benevolent tolerance? Everyone seemed to see her as some two-dimensional being and not as a real person who could feel emotional pain or happiness. (Well, except for Kal, now that she thought about it.) Don't I have a right to have feelings too? And why was this such a new thought?

With that thought, she opened the letter with her fingernail. She realized then that she had decided to steel herself instead of getting her hopes up. This resolve, however, gave way to confusion again as she began to read.

_Dear Sister,_

_You don't have to check the signature, Diana, this really is Lois. Surprised? I guess I am too. After all these years of our little rivalry it's only fair that I explain this new perspective of mine. Please be patient, as it may take awhile._

_This is one of the most difficult letters I've ever written. While I wrote (this is a tenth draft), I began to really understand you, and myself as well. I think I probably understand you better than _you_ do. At least when it comes to Clark. I am still in the process of understanding some of this even as I write this, so please bear with me as I try to piece things together._

_I need to let you know something else before I really begin. I don't hate you Diana. I was jealous of you, yes, and envious too, but I never really hated you. I know you aren't ready to believe that just now, but I think you'll understand by the time you finish reading this. _

_It all comes down to Clark, doesn't it? Whatever relationship you and I had, it was always shaped by our relationship with him, wasn't it? As you know, men are always blind when it comes to emotional undercurrents. But you and I, as women, instinctively understand these things. Or, we thought we did. Two independent women, acting as little satellites around one man. Disturbing, isn't it? If you think about it, you'll see that I'm right._

Casting her mind back to those times when all three were together, Diana found that it was true to an extent. They used him as a spark to ignite their petty rivalries, which amounted to pretty much what Lois wrote.

_Let me also come clean with you. I was envious of you for your physical perfection. What woman isn't? I know that you find that unimportant, but it _is _important. If you were not beautiful, do you really think that your role as ambassador would have been as successful? Men will always listen to the beautiful woman before the...less appealing one. You have been in our world long enough to know the truth in what I'm telling you. It's not good and it's not right, but it is true. _

_I was also envious of your power. You have powers that can help Clark in his other work more than I ever could. _

"That is not true", Diana said aloud. "You helped as much as I, but in a different way."

_I hated that you could be with him and share things with him that I never could. I resented you for that more than anything else. That is what led to the jealousy on my part. Relationships are built on shared experiences and you had the benefit of sharing experiences with him that I could not. I was afraid that he would fall in love with you and leave me behind. You didn't understand this. I couldn't understand that you didn't understand. Does that make sense? _

_I never took into account our cultural differences. I assumed that you knew exactly what you were doing and what was happening. I've come to the realization that I was wrong. You never grew up in a world of boys and girls and how they interact and the signals they send to each other without even realizing it. What's more is that you've never seen men and women in love. You have seen Clark and I, but you never saw the signals for what they were. If you saw me touch him or put an arm around him, you assumed I was trying to thumb you in the eye (okay, I will admit that there were times when I did that). _

_My point is that if you can't see the signs of love in others, how can you expect to recognize it when you are in love yourself? I recognize them when I see them. And I see them whenever you look at Clark._

"What!" Kal didn't mention that Lois was going senile near the end.

_Think about it, Diana. How many times have you been with him and a thought or idea has popped into your head that you didn't understand? That you brushed off or ignored?_

_Do you feel unaccountably happy when he arrives or saddened when he leaves? Does it feel like a little part of you goes with him? Of all the people you know and respect, whose opinion matters most to you? Does anyone else make you feel the same way inside just by thinking of him? Can you say that you have never dreamed of him, even if you put it out of your mind upon awakening? When he smiles at you, does the world seem just a little brighter? Remember. Think. Understand. _

Diana put the letter down on the couch, closed her eyes and tried to remember…

"_I don't want to. I don't want you to go_." One of her last conversations with Kal the other day. She could remember a number of other occasions too where an unbidden and unexplainable thought had intruded when she was with him. There were dreams too--It was impossible. But was it true? Is that what love is? Can she have possibly been so blind?

Her first instinct was to put it all down to their deep friendship. To deny that this could possibly be so. "I don't feel this way about any other _friends_" came a small voice in her head. There it was. That simple thought confirmed it in her mind. It was not a comfortable realization. The truth wasn't always comfortable. Especially an unexpected truth. But truths had to be faced. But why tell me this, Lois? Why?

She picked up the letter again and continued reading.

_I've come to realize that in this, we are sisters. Not rivals or enemies. Sisters. We are linked by our love for one man. You rejected him all those years ago for reasons I can't begin to understand, and then I found him. Or he found me. He was committed to me and I to him, and so you were never the threat I had envisioned. I only saw your eyes when they met his and I knew how you felt, even if you didn't. To my shame, I could not understand this before. So, now I tell you. I truly regret what we missed together because of my jealousy and your ignorance. I'm a journalist and you're an ambassador, yet our problem was that we couldn't communicate. How's that for ironic?_

_Why should I tell you these things? I must admit, I have an ulterior motive. Clark is lost right now. Lost in grief over me, and lost in confusion over you. Yes, he has been blind too. I believe that he loves you. I have seen those signs too. He is as proud as you are, Diana, and would never let himself entertain thoughts he felt were unfaithful. He will feel as if his love for you, were he to recognize it, would be a betrayal to me. I can't convince him otherwise and neither could you. He will have to work this out himself. I think he will work it out, but I can't be sure. We cannot help how we feel, but we are responsible for what we do with those feelings. In this, Clark has always been faithful to me._

_I'm telling you this also because I still love him, even in death. No less than you love him in life. I want him to be happy. _

Diana was surprised to find that she was nodding her head in agreement now and not trying to deny her feelings, as strange as those feelings were. What was truly surprising was how quickly she was accepting this.

_Being with you will make him happy again. However, being with him or not is a choice you have to make. You can have a life with him, or you can deny yourself. I have seen your eyes as you look at him. I know what you want. Do you, sister?_

_I have also told you these things partly to make amends for what we have put each other through over the years. Mostly however, I do it for Clark. My love for him makes me want to see to his happiness even when it seems counter to my own. In this case I can assure you that it is **not** counter to my own. I hope someday that you can believe that._

_Think over what I have written. You pride yourself on being completely honest with others and with yourself. Well, look inside yourself and see the truth. Whatever you decide, I wish you a good life and happiness. I truly do. May there be peace between us always, in spirit if not in life._

_Your Sister,_

_Lois_

Diana stood up and began to pace around the room, the letter still in her hand. It wasn't the letter that she was lost in thought over, though. She ran through her mind all the times she could remember where she and Kal had talked or been together. She tried to remember her emotions. She felt she needed to prove Lois wrong. She found that she could not. The lift in her spirits when he came to her. The pain when he told her he was going away for awhile. When they were apart she thought about him often and hoped that he thought of her too. Too many times and too many instances for it to be "just friends". Lois was right. She was right and Diana found that she could not pretend otherwise. She found that she didn't _want_ to pretend otherwise. To deny this now would be the same as lying to herself. She couldn't do that and still keep her honor and her integrity.

"I really do love him. I'm really _in_ love with him." she marveled. Diana didn't know how she should feel about this, but the one feeling overriding all others was—joy. She found that she couldn't stop grinning. Another thought stopped her pacing suddenly. "He's going to think things over. He's going away and he doesn't know how I feel."

After thinking about it for a few minutes it was clear to her that it wouldn't be right to tell him just before he leaves. He has to think and come to his own decisions.

"That woman causes more trouble in death than she ever did in life." Diana was still smiling, though, as she put the letter away in her desk drawer. However much she tried to mask it, it must have been extremely painful for Lois to write that letter. If their roles had been reversed, Diana didn't truly know whether she was capable of writing a letter like that. She hoped she was.

Kal had promised to drop in and say goodbye before he left. Seeing as how there was nothing at the moment that needed the attention of Wonder Woman, Diana, having gotten ready for bed, was looking forward to whatever dreams might bring. She was expecting to lay awake with these new thoughts for hours, but was soon asleep. She wouldn't remember any of those dreams when she awoke, but she would know that they were all sweet.

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	4. Chapter 4

Note: In order to continue this story, I had to make minor changes to the previous chapters.

**Personal Business Chapter Four**

It didn't take long to get everything ready. The only part that required any coordination was the patrolling of Metropolis. Between Supergirl masquerading as him regularly and other JLAers popping in from time to time, Superman was confident that his city would be safe while he was gone. Looking around, Kal could see that the apartment was squared away for his absence. He even remembered to stop by the neighbors and let them know he'd be on vacation for awhile. Being the stereo-typical nosey neighbors, it was fairly certain that they'd keep an eye on the place for him.

Having done all that, it was almost time to go. He'd already said goodbye to Diana, but it had been awkward. He felt he could read her well after all these years. He knew her moods without thinking about it. Her expressions, her body language, or only the inflections of her speech usually told him all he needed to know about what she was feeling. Usually. Then again, there were times when he couldn't even guess what was going through her mind. Times like today...

-----

The weekly Justice League meeting ended quietly, as they usually did. It had been a full week since Superman had told his comrades about his impromptu vacation. He'd been ready to leave a couple of days ago, but he wanted to say goodbye without calling a special meeting for it. A big deal was the last thing he wanted to turn this into. So, he'd waited til the next meeting. His request for some League members to check in on Metropolis was met with a near chorus of "of course, Superman!". The meeting ended shortly after.

The world's mightiest heroes filed out of the conference room and wished the Man of Steel a good time and good luck as they passed him. Other than Wonder Woman, Batman had been the last to leave. Before closing the door, he noted Wonder Woman loitering behind. He gave Superman that _I know something you don't know_ smirk that he did so well. Superman wondered sometimes if Bruce didn't practice that look in a mirror in his off time. Leave it to the Batman to send a parting shot without saying a word.

It was just himself and Diana now. Neither one could look at the other and they both fidgeted. It soon dawned on both of them how ridiculous this was and finally allowed their eyes to meet. Not an idle gaze, but an intense one. As if each was determined to etch into memory each other's eyes. He could tell that Diana wanted to say something, but didn't seem able to. As for himself, Kal felt that if he stared hard enough he would be able to decipher what she was thinking. His own thoughts were too jumbled to sort out, even if he was interested in trying. Diana eventually found her voice and the tension in the room eased considerably.

"Have you decided how long you'll be gone?" The feigned casualness with which she said this did not register in his brain until much later. And even then, he wasn't sure what it meant.

"No, Diana. Only when my head is squarely back on my shoulders again will I come back. I don't even know where I'm going yet."

"I wish you well on your journey of rediscovery then, Kal. If anyone has earned the right to take some time off, it's you." Diana turned suddenly serious, as she firmly took his jaw into her hand and brought him down so their eyes were level. "You promised me you would come back" she whispered fiercely, "do not disappoint me, Kal. I—we will be waiting anxiously for your return." She pulled him down further and kissed his brow, her lips lingering for just a moment.

With that, she let him go and walked out of the conference room without a backward glance. _Leave it to Diana to do Batman one better in the exit department. _Superman wasn't sure if that exchange meant anything more than it seemed or not. He decided to let it go. His troubles all started with brooding over things he didn't understand. He saw no reason to add this to the list. Trying to figure out Diana was at times a fool's game anyway. At least it sometimes was.

-----

Having locked up the apartment, he made his way up the street to find a convenient place to change. He had a few of them around the neighborhood, since it wasn't a good idea to change clothes in the same place all the time. For awhile he wouldn't have to worry about it, he supposed. He wouldn't be changing clothes for some time.

He hadn't really decided on a destination yet. East? West? North? South? He decided on "up". It didn't really matter much. Wherever he went in this galaxy or any adjacent ones, he was bound to run across someone he knew or some civilization he'd already visited. So, up he went.

He wasn't clear of Earth's atmosphere before he started thinking of Lois and Diana. Lois' letter hit him hard. It reminded him of what he'd lost, but at the same time demanded that he leave at least part of it behind him. Easier said than done, but he'd promised himself that he would try. He merely needed some quiet time to reflect, and a long journey through space was just the ticket.

Then there was Diana. He knew that he loved her. That wasn't really the issue. The issue was the guilt at having such feelings. Well, that and the fact that he had no clue how Diana felt. Kal reasoned that if Diana returned his feelings she would have said something or given some sign. She came from an Amazon culture, and they weren't well known for their demure natures. The thought of her waiting around for him didn't even enter his mind. But then, Diana was a puzzle. Not a puzzle to solve, but one to enjoy while you try to solve it.

He wondered idly how her mother would react if she suspected he was thinking like this---_Mother?_ _Dammit! Have I been so self-centered that I didn't think about how being with Diana might affect her life and her mission in the outside world?_

He stopped in mid-air to think about this for a moment. If he was even going to consider asking Diana to be more than just partners or friends, he needed to know if and how that would affect her and her work too. He obviously couldn't ask Diana, so who could he go to? Reluctantly, he turned back toward Earth, setting his course for Themyscira. _This is not going to be fun._


	5. Chapter 5

Personal Business Chapter 5

It had been only seven days, but it felt like seven years. The fact that no major confrontations had occurred on the planet made the time seem to go by more slowly. Metropolis had been fairly quiet, as had the whole world. Diana should have been relieved if not at least satisfied. She never imagined that she would find herself wishing for physical confrontation, but she desperately needed to hit something-- or someone. Her whole mission centered on the need to bring peace to the world and yet her personal turmoil was pushing her towards violence. She needed to think and understand why.

Flying above the clouds, she tried to sort herself out. Aimless flight was one of the most relaxing things to do. It cleared her mind and helped her focus. While it was true she'd had the gift of flight for her whole adult life, it was Kal who pointed out the therapeutic benefits of floating above the clouds in order to think things out.

The last year and a half had been hell for Diana. Kal's absence was a big part of that. Or so it seemed.

It all came back to Kal, didn't it? He was gone, temporarily, but still gone. That wasn't the problem. She wasn't angry that he wasn't here. That made her sad, not angry. Her mind wandered back to their last meeting at JLA headquarters, when they had been alone after the meeting. She had wanted to tell him something, something other than what she finally managed to say. She didn't know what exactly it was. I will miss you? Come back to me? I love you? Still, she couldn't decide what it might have been, but whatever it was; it got stuck in her throat. Was she angry at herself for not saying something like that, or the fact that she wanted to say it at all?

How would Kal take any such declaration? She didn't know exactly how he felt. Perhaps he was unsure himself. Conviction coursed through her at the sudden realization that she wasn't mad at herself, but at him. A year and a half of watching his grief along with her new understanding of her own feelings towards him had eventually taken its toll on her. The convergence of these two things created a vulnerability within her that was gnawing at her, eating away at her equilibrium. And she hated feeling vulnerable.

It didn't help that he wasn't giving much in the way of hints. She could read him like a book most of the time. Knew his moods just by looking into his eyes. She'd been doing that for years. Likewise, he always seemed to know what she was thinking. But when it came to how he thought about her, he was unreadable. A mask of stone. While there may have been emotions hidden within, that mask obscured it. He was never cold to her, but he never gave off those subtle interpersonal signs that indicated anything other than the fact that he cared about her as a comrade, a best friend. There were no gestures or comments that could be taken in any other context. Or were there? If there were any other feelings for her, he managed to stifle them well. They both had apparently been doing that.

The thought gave her pause. If he had romantic feelings towards her, he was hiding them, but what about her? What was she doing? She was waiting for him to signal his intentions, yet what signals was she sending? Casting her mind back, she finally came to understand that she, too, wore a mask. Was her mask as impenetrable as his? She wasn't sure. Could her mask be a simple reaction to fear of rejection? Could that be true for Kal as well?

But then, those masks had been necessary for the years of his marriage. Even if she had been aware of her feelings then, she would not have considered making them known. It would have benefitted no one and possibly done much damage. That was in the past anyway. There was too much to contend with in the here and now to worry about what might have been.

_Well, that didn't solve my underlying problem, but it does feel good to understand what the problem really is. We will have a good long discussion when you get back Kal. This needs to be resolved, and soon._

While she was on the topic of resolving issues, she made a mental note to apologize to Ollie. He acted like an ass, but that was no excuse for losing her composure. Thinking on it, she still had to smile.

The hallways in the League's satellite were near empty as Diana wandered them, lost in thought. She was jarred out of her reverie when she literally bumped into Green Arrow and Black Canary.

"Hey, Princess, careful, I break easily." Wonder Woman merely growled an indecipherable response to the Emerald Archer's sally as she continued her march down the hall.

Never one to leave well enough alone, he called at her retreating figure. "You're as moody as the Blue Boy Scout, Princess. Maybe you should have gone with him so he could keep you a bit more satisfied." The crack was vintage Ollie, but it wasn't going to be brushed off today. Diana stopped and turned slowly back. The fury on her face made Canary cringe. "Oh, shit" she whispered.

The Amazon strode back until she was in Ollie's face. Between gritted teeth she asked "What did you say?"

Now even the laconic archer was taken aback. He began to stutter a weak reply, but Diana interrupted with "You know what would 'satisfy' me right now? Taking each arrow out of your quiver and sticking them, one by one, up your ass. How many arrows do you think it would take before he shut up, Dinah? Let's find out." She reached for his quiver, but the white-faced Dinah had already begun dragging the dumbstruck Ollie back down the hall. Getting his legs back under him, he began pulling Canary because she wasn't leaving fast enough. With a snort of disgust, Diana turned around again and went on her way.

_Kal would have been appalled, but he would have chuckled later in private._

The problem boils down to lack of communicating, but Diana wasn't certain how to go about correcting that. She could use some advice, and who better to give advice than a mother? Feeling better than she had in days, Diana headed towards Themyscira.


	6. Chapter 6

One week ago....

He landed softly on the beach and waited. Someone had seen him he was sure. Someone always did. Not that he was on Themyscira very often, but when he was he was met at the beach. It had become a protocol of sorts. He was allowed on the island when there was need, but he would wait at the beach until met by someone. It not only to remind him that he was a guest here, but it saved many misunderstandings. Having a flying male just land in front of the palace tended to put the women on edge. This way, there were no surprises.

He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to say to Hippolyta and he was sure he was going to put his foot into it at some point, but he needed her perspective on this matter. He needed it in order to make a good decision. He did not want to stand in the way of Diana's mission in any way. There was another reason too. Kal needed—no, wanted, to make sure that Hippolyta didn't disapprove of his intentions. She was more of an enigma to him than even Diana, however. He had the benefit of working with Diana frequently, while it was rare that he had any direct dealing with her mother. He had no idea what Hippolyta thought of him. She treated him in a detached manner befitting his status as a male stranger, but at the same time she was cordial since he was a guest. Whether she approved of him in any way or didn't approve at all, he had gotten no hint from her manner. It wouldn't make this task any easier. But, until he was granted an audience, all he could do was wait in the sand.

He was not to be kept waiting very long. A woman, dressed in a royal guard's uniform of gold armor, rode a black horse towards him along the beach. He noted that it wasn't a warhorse. Those were bigger, bulkier. Built for endurance and strength. This was a leaner horse that was meant for speed; probably for messengers or perhaps light cavalry. She soon pulled up to him, but didn't dismount. From above him, she stared at him for a moment. He couldn't see much more than her eyes and her jawline, since her helmet hid her other features. He was too polite to use his x-ray vision to find out the identity of his escort.

"Hail, Superman. What brings you to Themyscira? You were not summoned."

He recognized the voice. It was Adina. He didn't know her, but he remembered Diana introducing them once.

"Hail, Adina. I request an audience with Hippolyta, mother of Diana." The normal greeting consisted of requesting an audience with the queen, but he purposely changed it to signal that he was here on personal business and not official. He had never done this before, so he was just winging it, and he didn't expect the wicked grin on Adina's face.

"Well met, friend of the Amazons. There are already wagers cast for the reason of your visit. My money is on Diana. I hope to win a week's wages today. "

At his confused expression, she turned her horse and beckoned him to follow. "The queen awaits you, Superman."

_I haven't been here for 10 minutes and they're already betting on why I'm here? If Diana was one side of the wager, what was the other? _He didn't want to know. He turned and followed her into the square. He got his share of odd looks. Men were almost unheard of on this island. They all knew who he was, but he still got odd stares. Some of them had that same gleam that Adina had. Now he was sure he did not want to know what the wagers were about.

Soon they came upon the palace. It was a white marble edifice, complete with the standard greek columns. It's beauty awed him each time he saw it, but today he was wrapped up in his thoughts and barely glanced at it. Adina dismounted and preceded him in and they made their way to the queen.

The queen was in her usual audience chamber. Normally there were a few guards around as well as any number of petitioners, but today, the queen was alone. She watched him approach with a half-smile on her lips. Her eyes weren't gleaming, but... _Don't tell me even the queen is betting on this!_

Even that half-smile made Hippolyta radiant. Though dressed in casual robes today, her hair was still made up and that expression on her face made it seem as if all the light in the room came from her. He was awed at her beauty, as he was each time he laid eyes on her. She was a vision with her glistening black hair cascading down her shoulders. Almost a match for her daughter's beauty, though Diana's came from the gods and presumably Hippolyta's was natural. The resemblance was astonishing considering that Diana was born of magic and not from Hippolyta giving birth, yet there was no denying that they looked very much like mother and daughter. Must be magic. Magic always confounded him.

Adina escorted him towards the throne, and when she stopped, so did he. With a firm, officious voice she presented him. "Your Highness, kal-El from Krypton requests an audience with Hippolyta, mother of Diana." With this, Adina turned and marched out through the high columns and Superman was left alone with the queen. He must have earned some measure of the Amazons' trust. He didn't think that most any other male would be left alone with their queen. It was a little encouraging and he needed all the encouragement he could get.

Adina wasn't taken aback at Kal's request, but the queen lifted an eye-brow in surprise. _Perhaps she isn't in on the bet after all._ There was nothing but relief in that thought. It was bad enough that so many others thought they knew why he was here.

"You wish to speak with me not as queen, but as Diana's mother? Then we shall find accomodations other than a throne room to have our discussion." As graceful as a swan, the queen rose from her chair and glided towards a different archway than the one Adina used. She did not glance back, taking for granted that he would follow. And he did.

Soon he found himself in a small (compared to the throne room, anyway) sitting room seated at a small table in the center of the room. Across from him sat Hippolyta. It was a little surreal sitting at a regular table and on the other side sat the Queen of the Amazons. She was gracious enough to try to put him at his ease by offering refreshment, which he politely declined. Fortunately, there was a glass of water in front of him, and considering how dry his mouth was becoming, that water would come in rather handy.

Taking a sip from his glass, he thought it best to start out with smalltalk. Another thing he wasn't particularly good at. "It's a pleasure to see you again, your Highness. You are looking as beautiful as ever." Since it was all true, he didn't have to sound forced. A decent start.

She admonished him gently. "Kal, you asked to speak to Diana's mother, not the queen, so we can dispense with the "your Majesties" and "your Highness'". Just "Hippolyta" will do for now."

"Yes, your-- I mean, yes, Hippolyta. Thank you."

"And thank you for the compliment, Kal. These old ears like to hear such blandishments on occassion."

His incredulous look made her laugh. "Yes, Kal-El, I am old. You don't really want to know how old. Before we get started, allow me to say that I'm sorry about the loss of your wife." He nodded his thanks and she continued. "Now, let's go back to why you are here. I take it that it has something to do with Diana?"

This was the best opening he could hope to get. "You are right, of course, I'm here to speak of your daughter--"

"And how is she faring out there in your world? She visits, of course, but never often enough."

Kal was finding out the hard way that you don't just visit unannounced, ask the queen a question, and then leave.

"Diana is doing very well. She is an invaluable asset to the Justice League and she continues to inspire others in her role of ambassador of Themyscira. And the subject of her ambassadorial duties is why I've come to speak with you." He was rather proud of that segue. He knew how to use language to his advantage; he used to be a newspaperman, for crying out loud!

Hippolyta interrupted again. "Speaking of this Justice League of yours, how have they been doing?" Inwardly, Kal admitted defeat. He wasn't the only one in the room who could turn a conversation. But then, this was Diana's mother, so what would he expect? So, he spent the next fifteen minutes telling her of their latest missions, taking care to focus mostly on Diana's role in those missions. Finally satisfied, the queen turned the subject back to why Kal was here.

"So tell me, Kal-El, what brings you here? I take it this is of a personal nature and not some quest or mission you are on."

_Now comes the hard part._ He took a sip of water to give himself time to collect his thoughts. Finally, he was ready.

"As you know, my wife passed away awhile ago..." Seeing her incredulous expression at this, he became confused. Hippolyta explained. "I did not mean to interrupt you, but it has not even been two years yet as I understand it. As we Amazons mark time, two years may as well have been yesterday. Please continue."

"Umm, yes, that is true." He tried to find his train of thought again, but couldn't. _Time to be as direct as possible here while trying not to be rude._ _Might as well just spit it out. I've already botched this. _"Hippolyta, Diana and I have been best friends for years, but now I am considering asking her if she would consent to have a relationship with me that would be, umm, more than just friends."

"You wish to be her mate?" Kal's face reddened slightly at this plainspeaking. This was Diana's _mother _he was talking to.

"I, ummm, yes."

"But you are here speaking to me instead of her. I also notice that you said you were 'considering' this. Would you care to explain?"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could at least get _this_ part right. Hopefully. Hippolyta watched him with interest. As he closed his eyes to collect himself, she couldn't help but smile in amusement at his discomfort. She'd forgotten how funny men could be. Especially when they wanted something from you. She smoothed out her expression as he opened his eyes and continued.

"Before I ask her, I would like to be sure that a new relationship between us--"

"As mates" she interjected, at which Kal again reddened. He could see the twinkle in Hippolyta's eyes. _She's enjoying this! _She wasn't going to throw him off track again.

"I would like to make sure that such a relationship would not impede her mission as Ambassador of Themyscira. I do not know the answer, so I have come to seek your advice." _There, it's out there. The hard part is over...I hope._

Hippolyta pondered this for a moment before answering. "I cannot see, in all honesty, how such a relationship would help my daughter's mission." At this, Kal's face fell as his disappointment sank in.

She rose from her seat. His question was answered. The interview was over. The dejected Man of Steel rose also. "I thank you Hippolyta for your honest answer. It was not the answer I wished for, but the truth isn't always what we wish it to be." She allowed him her arm as she escorted him to the entrance of the palace. Relinquishing her arm as he prepared to fly off (apparently flying men _leaving_ the island wasn't an issue), she held onto him for a moment.

"Were I you, I would think on this. You were married for many years to this human woman. Did that relationship affect your own job in the world?" She let him go and gently pushed him out of the building, urging him to go.

As he took off he was still trying to process what Hippolyta told him. Instead of answering his question, she gave him even more to think about. _Women are hard enough to understand, but mothers (who happened to be queens) were in another league altogether._ He flew off, even more perplexed than before.

Hippolyta, with Adina standing beside her, watched the sky as the Kryptonian flew off. Her own experience with men had been disasterous, but she was wise enough to know that even as her sisters were each different, so were men. There were good men as well as bad. While not bravery of arms, it still took courage for him to come here and ask what he did. Along with his other sterling qualities he would make a perfect mate for Diana. Assuming, of course, that he decided to ask her and also assuming that Diana did not foolishly allow him to escape—_again_. She stood staring at the sky even after he flew out of sight. Yes, if things were different...

"If I was half my age, I think I would consider contending with Diana for _that_ one." She let out a hearty laugh as Adina gasped in shock at such a thing.


	7. Chapter 7

Personal Business Chapter 7

Her flight to Themyscira had been unsettling. While she felt she understood the problem with her emotions, Diana wasn't sure how to go about resolving them. The wisdom of Athena was fine for settling disputes or figuring out most problems, but when it came to dealing with relationships it really wasn't all that helpful. Wisdom was the mastery _of_ reason and mastery _over_ emotions. Her predicament was emotional and therefore outside the realm of wisdom. _I am the master of my emotions, my emotions don't rule me._

To add even more complexity, while flying, over Diana began to doubt the wisdom of asking advice from her mother. Hippolyta tended to be prejudiced against men. Considering her experiences, she had good reason. _Face it Diana, you are just afraid that she will give you counsel that you do not like._

With that thought, she found herself about to land in the main square. It would be rude not to take a few moments to greet her sisters and she had a feeling that she would not be disposed towards greeting them after speaking with her mother. So, Diana found herself greeting old friends as she strolled towards the palace.

Moments, that seemed like hours, later, she stood in front of the main entrance of her mother's palace. The royal guard on duty was her friend Adina, who was looking at Diana with barely suppressed excitement. Something was going on, but she was in no mood to try to figure out what right now.

"Hail Adina, I wish to speak with my mother, Hippolyta." A little abrupt, but Diana was feeling anxious right now.

Adina seemed to take no notice of the Princess' agitated state and replied. "Greetings, Princess Diana. I will announce you."

"I will announce myself. Please stand aside."

Adina did not move. "Your highness, it is my duty to announce all visitors. However, since your matter seems urgent, I will escort you in. Follow me."

She turned on her heel and strode toward the throne room. All Diana could do was follow. Besides, Adina was right. All visitors, even the princess, must be announced to the queen before being granted an audience in the throne room. Protocol must always be followed except in dire emergencies.

The guard stopped, as did Diana. The queen was finishing up with the last petitioner of the day and they had to wait. Soon, the petitioner exited and Adina stepped to the front of the throne.

"My Queen, Princess Diana requests an audience with her mother, Hippolyta." Hippolyta nodded and the guard moved off to the side of the throne.

The queen, bedecked in her formal robes today, rose from her throne and glided towards her sitting room. "Come, Diana, and we will talk." Diana followed her mother while Adina watched with interest. Diana noted this, too. Adina was acting as if something was going on that Diana wasn't aware of. _I don't want to know._

The two women embraced before sitting down. It was a warm embrace, as they hadn't seen each other often of late. Diana had not been visiting home as often as she might. She felt a tinge of guilt at the thought.

Once seated, Hippolyta looked Diana over critically. "You look well, daughter. From your expression, however, I cannot tell if you are angry or merely confused."

"Mother, I think it is both, which is why I came to seek your advice."

Hippolyta smiled. "Well, it seems that no one asks the queen for advice lately, but yet this is the second time in a week that the advice of Diana's mother has been requested."

At Diana's perplexed look, she explained. "Your friend Kal-El was here a week ago today also seeking my counsel."

"WHAT!!" Diana rose from her chair in a rage.

Her mother eyed Diana narrowly and did not deign to raise her voice. "Daughter, we are not dealing with each other as queen and subject at the moment, but I am still your mother. Sit down and mind your tongue." The command in her voice was quiet, but unmistakeable. Whether acting as a queen or as a mother, Hippolyta expected to be obeyed.

A somewhat contrite daughter responded "I'm sorry, Mother." Again, Diana took her seat.

Hippolyta sighed. "I have heard that your temper has been short of late, and I regret to see that it is true."

"Yes, mother, I am dealing with some inner turmoil and I have not been as steady as I would wish. However, before we discuss that it would please me greatly to know why Kal was here."

"Well, Diana, I don't know if I can tell you. I believe we were speaking in confidence."

"Mother!"

"Now that I think on it, daughter, he never said that what we discussed was a secret."

"And...what did he ask?"

"Oh, he merely asked me whether having a relationship with you would interfere with your duties." She said this airily as if it were but a trifle thing.

"And you told him...?"

"I told him the truth. I told him that I did not see how having such a relationship would help you in your mission."

"Mother!" Diana began to rise from her chair in anger, then sat back down as Hippolyta merely pointed towards her and then the chair. Her rebuke did not need to be repeated.

_I cannot believe she told him that! _ But then, what else would she expect from her mother. She could not even imagine what went through Kal's mind when he was told this. This could ruin everything before she could even talk to him. She felt like screaming, but denied the impulse. She must maintain control of herself.

Hippolyta watched her daughter with some amusement, though she was careful to show nothing of the sort. Her daughter was finally ready to admit she was in love, but the man is tying her in knots by not doing or saying anything to indicate his own feelings. The man was a marvel, but he could really use some lessons in assertiveness. Hippolyta could feel for her daughter, but at the same time she couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself this much.

"Perhaps, daughter, it is time to tell me why you have come. You were unaware that the Kryptonian had been here, so that could not have been the reason, yet I sense that your suffering is in regards to him. You care for this man?"

"Yes, mother, I do. I—I--"

"You are in love with him." It wasn't a question, but Diana answered it anyway.

"Yes, mother."

"Then say it."

It wasn't quite as hard to say as she had imagined. "I'm in love with Kal, mother, and I don't know what to do."

"Don't know what to do? Didn't we discuss the story of the randy fauns when you were thirteen?"

"Mother! That's not what I'm talking about and you know it."

"Yes, I know, dear. Then what exactly is the problem?" _My, this is so much fun!_

"He has not declared his feelings one way or the other. He has been grieving for his wife for a long time and has gone away for awhile in order to sort out his thoughts. In the meantime, as you have noted already, I have not been dealing with this well myself."

"Why did you not declare yourself to him instead of waiting? Has my Diana gone off into the world as a confident, wise woman only to return as a some shy damsel out of a story?"

Diana found that she could not look her mother in the eye. "I was afraid that he would not feel the same as I."

"My daughter, afraid? Diana, Princess of Themyscira who has faced down the wrath of Ares himself. Afraid? Of a man's opinion? I cannot find it in myself to believe this."

Finally, looking at Hippolyta, she tried to explain. "But mother, I—I..." Finally the light went on in Diana's head. "No, you are right, mother. It's not his fault that I am distraught. It is my own doing, because I would not face my own fears. I let those fears overcome me, and I will allow it no longer." The confidence in her voice was heartening.

_Sometimes a mother must remind her daughter just who she is._

Diana gave her a wry smile. "Why do I get the feeling that you already knew why I was here and were just playing some perverse game with me?"

Hippolyta put a hand on her breast and put on an expression of feigned shock. "Why daughter, how could you think your own mother capable of such a thing?"

Diana laughed aloud. "Mother, you have spies everywhere and know things that you really should not know. The whole island is aware of that. And, yes, you are quite capable of such a thing."

"For the sake of peace between us then, let us pretend that I have no idea why you have come, except to speak to your mother whom you have not seen in so long."

The dutiful daughter cringed inwardly at the mild rebuke. Verbally jousting with her mother was an exercise in futility. She got the advice she was seeking—or, rather she was led to the correct answer by her canny mother. Either way, she felt more relaxed than she had for some time. It was time to make up for those visits she never made.

Her mother turned the subject to other things, and they both enjoyed a pleasant conversation for the next hour or so.

Finally, it was time to leave. With Adina looking on, mother and daughter embraced before Diana took to the sky.

As they kept an eye toward the retreating princess, the queen commented casually, "One day we will see something on the island that we haven't seen in centuries. A wedding."

"Do you think so, your Highness?"

"Oh, I'm quite sure. What kind of odds do you suppose you can find on that wager, Adina?" With that, the queen went back into the throne room to await her next visitor, while a dumbstruck Adina tried to recover her wits. _Are there any secrets that the queen does not know?_


	8. Chapter 8

**Personal Business Chapter 8**

The Flash and the Martian Manhunter were the only ones on the command deck of the Watchtower. Since it was so quiet lately, they had fallen into the habit of playing their favorite game, Battlin' 'Bots, while on duty together. The Watchtower's sensors would give them plenty of time to react to anything that might come up.

"Aww, man, you knocked my block off again! I'm the fastest man alive, J'onn, how do you keep beating me?"

Jo'nn smiled. "It does not matter how fast you are, Wally. The mechanics of the game will only go so fast. As I have told you before, it is a matter of timing, not speed."

"Well, that's not—"

A series of short beeps sounded at the console and the two heroes moved quickly to see what was was approaching. At this point, almost anything going on would be interesting.

"Scanners indicate a small cruiser of Almeracian design. There is no ion trail, so the engines are off. Let us see what is going on. Flash, you have the comm duty, so.."

"Cool!" He grabbed the communications microphone. There was no need for this, as there was a mic built into the console, but Flash always insisted on using the hand-held one instead. When really bored, he used the microphone to pretend he was a dj. It was really annoying to anyone who happened to have duty with him, which was another reason that Flash enjoyed it.

"Attention, all ships at sea! This is your Captain Kirk, speaking. Identify yourself immediately or we'll fire up the photon tubes."

The response from the ship contained some static, but the irritated female voice could be heard plainly enough. "Flash, you loud-mouthed oaf. This is Maxima. I have some engine trouble. Superman has found us and is pushing me towards your hangar bays. My fleet is too far away to give assistance and I'll need to dock so you can repair my craft. You get one of those doors opened immediately or—"

"Maxie! What's a gorgeous girl like you doing in a space like this?"

The icy reply was immediate. "Is there anyone on duty with you that has a functioning brain, Flash?"

"Maxima, this is J'onn. Hangar 3 is opening now."

"Thank you, J'onn. We will begin emergency docking procedure immediately. Maxima out"

Flash was pouting. "You never let me have any fun." Another thought brightened his face for a moment. "But, at least I get to see Maxi."

Jo'nn, however, was shaking his head. "You need to run up and tell Wonder Woman that Superman has finally returned. Then, you need to get back here and monitor communications while I meet them at the hangar. Remember, you have communications duty today."

"Aww, man, that is so unfair!" I hate comm duty!" With that, Flash was gone, off to tell Diana the news. Ninety seconds later, Flash was back. "Well, I told her."

"Is she coming down?"

"Haha. Funny, J'onn. She hasn't seen him for a month. She's playing it off like she doesn't care, but she almost beat me out the door."

"You did tell Diana that Maxima was with him, didn't you?"

The grin on Flash's face told him all he needed to know, and his heart sank. "Don't you like surprises, J'onn?"

The Manhunter walked out of the command deck, his sense of foreboding weighing heavily on him. _This is not going to go well, It could be worse. I could have sent Wally to meet them._ J'onn shuddered at the thought as he approached the hangars._._

J'onn walked past Wonder Woman as she stood on the walkway on the farthest end of Hangar 3. He didn't need any other sense than sight to see that she was confused. She expected just Superman and the ship was a puzzle. Resisting the urge to tell Diana exactly what was going on, he kept on walking towards the ship that Superman was now setting down. He was only here to greet Superman and the visitor. That was all. _I am not getting involved in this. _

Superman opened the door to the spacecraft and Maxima's bodyguard filed out passed him. Finally, Maxima herself debarked, looking radiant in her green and yellow outfit, her dark red hair carelessly cascading over her back and shoulders. She stopped in front of Superman, reached up and pulled his head down to hers and kissed him thoroughly before he could pull away.

"Thank you, Kal. Thank you for a _wonderful_ time. Thank you for _everything_." As she winked at the Man of Steel, J'onn noticed two things. One; Out of the corner of his eye he could see Diana turn on her heel and stalk off. Two; Superman standing there completely befuddled by Maxima's actions. _I knew this wasn't going to go well. Might as well get my part over with. Never thought I would be anxious to get __back to see Wally!_

"Welcome back Superman. It is good to see that you are well. I hope that your vacation was a pleasant one? Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Thanks, J'onn. Good to be back. No, I won't need anything." He was staring past J'onn and watching the retreating figure of Diana. He hated being abrupt with J'onn, but seeing this scene with Maxima through Diana's eyes, he knew he was in trouble. It was ridiculous. Diana knew how he stood with Maxima. The powerful princess from distant Almerac had wanted him as her consort some time ago and went to great lenghths to secure him. The more he resisted, the more she was determined to have him. Eventually, Maxima was forced to give up and took another consort instead. That was old news and Diana knew all of this already. What he didn't understand was why Maxima was playing this up like she was. She had seen Diana watching and was deliberately provoking her. For what purpose, he had no idea. Well, he meant to talk to Diana later anyway, and he would clear things up then. He had other things that needed clearing up between them too, but this issue would have to be dealt with first.

J'onn was speaking to Maxima. "We have quarters ready for you and your guard. Please follow the server robot and it will guide you." _It will guide you as far from Wonder Woman's quarters as possible. _He was aware that Diana and Maxima didn't like each other. To be completely honest, they detested each other for reasons J'onn could not begin to guess at. All he knew was that Superman had instructed him explicitly that they not be on the roster at the same time. If that could not be avoided, by no means were they to be assigned to be in the same areas at the same time. It wasn't difficult for J'onn because Maxima was rarely ever on the roster anyway.

Maxima turned to Superman again and said a little more loudly than necessary; "Please make sure you come to my quarters and see me before I go. As you know, _**I**_ go after what _**I**_ want, and I the most prized male in the galaxy: You." J'onn could see Diana lurch to a halt. After a slow count of three, she continued on her way out of the hangar bay.

Almerac's princess smiled sweetly as she and her guards followed the server bot out the side entrance of the hangar, turned a corner and were gone. J'onn looked a question at Superman, but he merely shrugged. "I don't know what's going on either, but I do know that I need a shower. It's been a long trip."

An hour later, a more refreshed Superman came up to the command deck looking for J'onn. He found the Martian Manhunter just staring off into space. The Flash had gone out for snacks—**again**.

"I take it that things have been quiet Jo'nn, or you would have already told me. So…do you have any idea where Wonder Woman is? I need to speak with her and she is not in her quarters."

"She is not onboard the station, Superman. I do not know where she went.." J'onn debated on whether to tell him that he was the second person who had asked that in the last hour, but wisely decided to not get involved, even to that extent.

"Thanks, J'onn. I'll be off station myself for awhile. If anything comes up, just---No, on second thought, I'll be unavailable for the rest of the day. I'll check in again tomorrow."

"Very well, Superman. As you said, it has been quiet so I do not forsee a problem."

Kal thought about it for a moment. Diana was upset and she wasn't on the station. Where would she go? It wasn't difficult to figure out. He flew towards Earth. _Going to that island is becoming a habit._ If everything worked out as he hoped with Diana, he might as well get used to it.


	9. Chapter 9

This is the final chapter of Personal Business. Thank you to all that have followed this story, and a special Thank You! to all those who took a minute or two to add in a review. We amateur writers don't make any money on this; we do it partly because we want to and partly from the kick we get when someone takes the time to comment on our work. Those reviews mean very very much, and I thank you. Now, let's finish the story.

**Personal Business Final Chapter**

She wasn't as angry as she thought she would be. She did not lose her temper when that strumpet arrived with Kal. She was happy with herself for that. Of course, she didn't go over and greet them either. She had a leash on her anger, but it would only go so far before it snapped. Diana flew towards home content that the best thing for her to do was to get away from the station and away from Maxima. _Discretion is the better part of valor._ There was no sense in possibly losing her temper when she could merely wait until Maxima had her ship repaired and left. Then, once she and Kal resolved their personal matter, her emotions would be more stable and she would be back to being herself again. She knew that Kal had no interest in that petulant princess, but the fact that she still chased him gnawed at her gut. Her last chat with her mother had put her in a good mood. Perhaps another little discussion would do the same.

-----------------------------

"Repair Bay to Command Deck. Come in, please, Command Deck."

"Command Deck here, Repair."

"Uh, I don't know how to say this, Mr. Manhunter, but…you know that alien cruiser you wanted us to check out? Well, the thing is, we can't find anything wrong with it. The engines fire up and the thrusters are in working order. All gauges check out too."

"Thank you, Repair. Clear it for flight and go back to your normal duties. Command Deck out." J'onn shook his head dismissively and went back to concentrating on beating Flash again at Battlin' 'Bots.

-----------------------------

Queen Hippolyta watched as her daughter descended upon the island. _That's one._ Fifteen minutes later, a red-haired figure, clad in green and yellow could be seen arriving. _That's two. Our cast is almost complete and the play is about to begin._ She smiled a wicked smile and beckoned her guard Adina to attend her. _Now_ _let's see how much resolve the boy has._

"Adina, take your mount and ride to the beach. If anyone comes, tell them that neither Diana nor the Queen wish to be interrupted today."

"Yes, my queen." With a quick salute, Adina immediately went to get her horse.

The queen remained at her seat in the window, enrapt in what was about to transpire below. The actors were almost in their places now.

-----------------------------

Kal touched down at the same spot he had landed at a month ago. And, in what seemed like déjà vu, he watched Adina ride towards him. He recognized her horse, of all things. Was she some sort of beach guard? No, there must be some rotation for guard duty that he wasn't aware of. On arriving in front of the Kryptonian, again, Adina stayed in her seat and waited for him to speak.

"I come to request an audience with Princess Diana."

"Princess Diana is not seeing visitors today. Return with your petition tomorrow."

Undeterred, Kal tried again. "Then I come to request an audience with Queen Hippolyta."

"Queen Hippolyta is not seeing visitors today. Return with your petition tomorrow."

His patience vanished. He did not have time to play games of etiquette with these people. He had waited long enough to speak his heart to Diana, and he would wait no longer. Their whole army would not keep him from her today. He would not allow it.

He pointed past Adina towards the palace. With a forced pleasantness he informed her "I am going to start walking in that direction. You are in my way. If you do not move, I will pick you and your horse up bodily and carry you with me. Or, you can ride off ahead of me and let the queen know I'm here. I leave the choice up to you."

Adina knew this was not an idle boast. She had seen feats of his great strength and knew well that he could do exactly as he said. The thought of drawing her sword crossed her mind, but that, too, would be futile. From the look in his eyes, it would not be prudent to anger him further. She abruptly turned her horse and galloped back to the palace. _Let the queen decide what to do with this one._

Hippolyta watched as Adina rode up to the palace with no Superman in tow. Had the boy just given up? That didn't sound like him. How disappointing. Moments later, she turned from her seat as Adina approached to give her report.

Upon hearing exactly what transpired on the beach, the queen laughed in delight. _By the Gods! That's the kind of man worthy of my daughter!_She could just imagine that look in his eyes too. If he was to be her son-in-law some day, he'd better have fire in his belly.

Adina inquired "Shall I gather a detachment of the guard to detain him, your Majesty?"

This elicited another laugh from the queen. "Dear child, in the mood that man is in, I could send the whole island to detain him and they would not even slow him down." There was a hint of pride in her voice now. "You may return to your duties." Adina did as she was bid, even as her queen turned back toward the window.

_Ah, Diana has spotted Maxima across the square. Now where is that boy?_

-----------------------------

Diana is shocked to see Maxima on the island. What in Hades was she doing here? Surprise turned quickly to rage. Everyone in the square begins to hurry towards the perimeter as a shout of "HOW DARE YOU!" rings out.

Without another word, Diana unleashed a powerful punch. Maxima grabbed the wrist and turns, and launched Diana over her shoulder and across the square. Eager to follow up her advantage, Maxima pounced on Diana. She was met with a foot to the stomach and, with a grunt she herself is sent hurtling through the air. Both combatants were now on their feet, while the crowd stood by and eagerly watched the battle. Diana charged again, still full of rage. Another right hand is blocked. Maxima grabbed her arm and pulled Diana down towards her rising knee. Diana lets out a grunt as the air rushes from her lungs. Maxima follows the knee with a brutal forearm to the back. Diana falls to the ground. Maxima bent down and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her halfway from the ground.

Through the pain, Diana realizes that yet again, she has allowed her anger to control her. She could not win this battle this way. Finding a quiet place in her mind, she found her center again, and into that center she fed her rage. She would now use her anger instead of her anger using her. Finally, she was ready.

Maxima, about to deliver the blow to end the fight, was surprised when Diana spun quickly and leg-whipped her. The grip on her hair was lost, as was her advantage and her footing. Both stood to face each other again, battered, but still more than able to fight. The rage was gone from Diana's eyes, replaced by a calm confidence that angered the princess-warrior from Almerac. This time it was Maxima who attempted to strike first. With an almost casual ease, Diana blocked the blow with her left forearm and delivered an uppercut to the midsection of her foe, which she immediately followed up by a devastating uppercut to the chin. Now it was Maxima who was down face first in the sandy square.

Some of the rage came back into Diana's eyes as she dropped a knee to her fallen opponent's back and grabbed her head by the hair.

-----------------------------

When Kal arrived, he found himself blocked by a crowd of amazons who seemed very intent on something going on inside the square. He wondered if it could be some kind of festival. Maybe that's why Adina tried to turn him away.

He made his way through the crowd to see what was going on. He was stunned to see Diana standing over Maxima, driving Maxima's head into the ground. She was saying "This...will...not...happen...again." After each word, she would drive Maxima's head back into the ground.

Happening to glance up at the palace, Kal noticed that Hippolyta was sitting in one of the windows watching the spectacle. _Why wasn't she doing something?_ An inexplicable hunch told him that somehow Hippolyta was involved in this whole thing somehow. Someday he might find out why. That day was probably not today. He sighed heavily.

Diana had now gotten to her feet; a little wobbly, but she seemed to be okay. Her opponent, on the other hand, was struggling to get to her knees; and failing.

"Diana!" Kal's voice cut through the chattering of the amazons to reach her. She stood, got her legs back under her and strode toward him, stern faced and determined.

They stood looking at each other for a moment.

"Diana, what is going on? Why—"

She grabbed the hair at the back of his neck and pulled him down to her in a kiss. Breaking the kiss, but keeping her grip, she told him, "I'm claiming my prize." She pulled his head down for another kiss, the ferocity of it he gladly matched. Another ragged cheer erupted from those that were left watching. The two lovers did not even notice..

-----------------------------

Hippolyta gestured to a couple of soldiers below, and they immediately went to retrieve the fallen princess. With a guard on each side, Maxima was escorted up to the queen.

Hippolyta sat back, entirely satisfied. Things hadn't worked out exactly as she had envisioned, but it was close enough. If nothing else, it had at least ended the way she had hoped.

Maxima, a bit more recovered and no longer needing the guards' assistance, entered the room. The Queen gestured to the seat next to her own. "Please, sit down, Princess." The Princess sank gratefully into the chair. Both queen and princess stared out the window for a moment before the queen spoke.

"Did you enjoy your fight, dear?" The smile in her voice was unmistakeable.

Maxima grimaced as she tried to make herself more comfortable. "Not as much as I'd have liked, Your Majesty, but you kept your end of our bargain." She paused. "So, Hippolyta, if you don't mind my asking, what is it that you get out of our agreement?"

The Queen inclined her head towards the window where they had a clear view of her daughter and Kal locked in an embrace. "A worthy possible son-in-law and a daughter who now knows what she wants and is willing to fight for it."

"And what if I had won the fight? What then?"

Hippolyta pondered how much she should tell. She saw no harm in the truth. Pricking the pride of the defeated princess wasn't the noble thing to do, but she indulged herself anyway. "I did not envision that the fight would actually take place in its entirety. I assumed that the Kryptonian would arrive in time to intervene. I had no plan in case you won because I never considered that as a likely outcome."

Maxima grunted in reply and Hippolyta continued. "I have been honest with you, and in return I would ask you a question. Why did you wish to fight my daughter? Surely you have had chances in the past. Why now?"

Truth for truth. It was only fair...up to a point. "As you know, I had intended Superman to be my mate. After a brief period of courting, it was apparent to me that another suitor would better fit the role as my consort. However, I still feel some responsibility for his happiness. Hearing that your daughter and he might soon be courting, it appealed to me to see if she was worthy of him. When your people contacted me through our embassy, I was more than happy to participate."

That wasn't exactly the story the queen had heard before, but there were enough blows against this woman's pride, so she merely nodded acceptance of the story.

The princess rose to leave. "Now that I am satisfied that your daughter is indeed worthy of the Kryptonian, I will take my leave and return to my ship."

"Pleasant journey, Maxima. Perhaps we may deal again."

"Yes, perhaps we will, You Highness." Maxima flew out one of the open windows and was soon out of site. The queen signaled a servant for some refreshment. _Such an exhausting day! I may have to take a nap this afternoon._

-----------------------------

Diana and Kal found a room in an empty wing of the palace where they could talk. They were finally alone.

"So, Diana, would you like to tell me what was going on over there between you and Maxima?"

"No, I—" He held up a hand to interrupt.

"Don't you think we've had enough of not communicating? What happened?

"Kal, you know that Maxima and I never got along. You also know that when she arrived with you—the reason for which you are going to explain shortly—I decided that instead of confronting her, I would come here. When I arrived and found that she was here also, well, that was just too much. One thing led to another and..."

She looked at him sharply. "And why exactly was I treated to the sight of you and her arriving at the station together? She made it sound as if you two had spent some time together."

She was comforted by Kal's confused look. "No, I was returning to Earth and found her ship floating in space. She told me she had engine trouble and I carried her ship to the station. That was it."

"And it didn't occur to you that she could have carried the ship back herself?

"Um, no, it didn't. I was going in that direction anyway."

Diana smiled at him, bemused. "No, it wouldn't occur to you, would it?" After a pause she changed the subject. "You know this is all your fault, Kal."

"My fault? How could any of this be my fault?"

"If you had stayed here we could have worked out our communication problems and none of the rest of this would have happened. Instead, you ran away to work things out—"

"Hold on a second. So, I 'ran away' while you were ready to work things out? I don't remember hearing any communication from you, either."

At that, Diana looked to the floor, unable to meet his eyes. "Alright, that wasn't entirely fair. I did my own share of running away."

Cupping her chin in his fingers, he lifted her head to face him. They stared into each other's eyes forever before he told her softly "Neither of us is running anymore, are we Diana?"

"No" she breathed "we aren't".

**EPILOGUE**

The throne room was full and the line to the throne went out the door. Supplicants bowed before the queen and placed gold, sometimes a pouch of it, sometimes, merely a coin or two, into one of the two large chests at Hippolyta's feet. The bearers of gold all kept their eyes to the floor, not daring to look into the eyes of their queen. The shame was just too much.

It took two hours for the procession to finish, by which time both chests were full of gold with an occasional trinket. There was even a sword or two thrown in. Hippolyta was pleased. Two problems were taken care of with one solution. When all supplicants had departed, there was only the queen and her advisors left. Very much like it was two days ago—

-----------------------------

"Advisors, we have a problem. There has been a rash of wagering on the island lately and it needs to be stopped. I speak not of the occasional wager, but an activity that is becoming habit for too many of our sisters. Any suggestions?

All of the advisors understood that Hippolyta knew this through her complex network of spies, many of whom didn't know the identities of others. Secrets from the queen were very rare indeed.

Erelith, the Royal Treasurer spoke up. "Your Highness, I have a suggestion that may be pleasing to you. Many years ago, some of the cultures of man had a custom called the 'dowry'. This custom held that when a woman married a man, the woman was to bring something with her to the marriage, as ridiculous as that sounds. This something that usually consisted of some type of monetary payment either to the bride's family or to her spouse. If your majesty would put the word out that all gambling wagers were to be 'donated' toward Princess Diana's dowry, I think we can resolve this issue."

The queen thought it over. She could see no downside to this idea. Leave it to her treasurer to know some arcane monetary custom. It was a little presumptuous at this time to think that Diana would get married, but what kind of mother does not look towards her daughter's future? It was also the queen's idea to have the donations public. A little shame now may prevent a recurrence of the problem. In a proud nation, shame was a most powerful motivator.

The proclamation went out and spread quickly. All monies won through wagering in the last 2 months were to be donated directly to the queen at a public ceremony the next day for the express purpose of a wedding gift for their Princess Diana. It was only fitting, it was said, as the wagers were primarily placed regarding Diana. Diana was not to be told of any of this, of course. Their shame would have been even worse.

Hippolyta understood that a little fear went a long way towards ensuring a long reign. With this in mind, she has always kept spies. It was not an overly large organization, but it was put in key places throughout the realm. It only took one or two secrets to be revealed before people's imaginations would make the organization appear as if half the island were her informants. Those spies couldn't know everything, of course, but the occasional nugget sufficed to give the queen the appearance of knowing almost everything. Following this reasoning, Hippolyta knew that all of her subjects guilty of this gambling excess would come forth voluntarily to give up their winnings. Each one would be positive that the queen knew even how much they each had wagered. Such was the fame of her network of informants.

-----------------------------

Eventually, servants were brought in to carry the heavy chests to the treasury and the advisors filed out of the room, leaving Hippolyta alone again. She wore a selfsatisfied smile as she leaned back on her seat and rested her legs on the ottoman before her and closed her eyes.

_I hope I get a nursery full of grandchildren out of this after all the hard work I have done._


End file.
